In one part of this unit's sample work, we tested how mass impacts kinetic energy. First, the teacher allowed one ball to roll freely down a ramp. Then, from the same height on the ramp, she allowed a ball with greater mass to roll freely down the ramp. Each ball was allowed to strike a cup at the bottom of the ramp.
a. How did mass affect the ability of each ball to move the cup?
• The ball with the higher mass moved the cup a greater distance.
• The balls moved the cup the same distance.
• The ball with the lower mass moved the cup a greater distance.
•The cup's motion was independent of the mass of the ball.
• The ball with the higher mass moved the cup a greater distance.
The correct answer is:
- The ball with the higher mass moved the cup a greater distance.
To answer this question, we need to understand the concept of kinetic energy and its relationship with mass.
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. It depends on two factors: the mass of the object and its velocity (speed). The formula for calculating kinetic energy is KE = 0.5 * mass * velocity^2.
In the given scenario, two balls with different masses were allowed to roll down the ramp and strike a cup. The question asks about the effect of mass on the ability of each ball to move the cup.
According to the formula for kinetic energy, when comparing two objects with the same velocity, the one with greater mass will have more kinetic energy. This means that the ball with the higher mass will have more energy when it strikes the cup.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:
• The ball with the higher mass moved the cup a greater distance.